The Morning After (2)

Writers: AL, Kaysea
Date Posted: 26th November 2008

Characters: Fog, Eliste
Description: Eliste and Fog talk the morning after Helvar's death.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 13, day 8 of Turn 4
Notes: Riverboat Sungazer

Eliste nibbled at the toast and immediately her eyes lit up. "This is good." She stated before taking a larger bite. She went silent as she ate, her son nodding off in her arms. Once it was done, her free hand picked at her shift and she asked softly, "So what do we do now?"

"About what?" Fog asked, though he suspected he already knew what she meant.

"Now that..." Her gaze danced over to the door again, as if fearful that saying it out loud would make it untrue. "Now that he's gone."

"You mean us?" he asked, finally allowing himself to breath again.

"I mean, what happens now?" It seemed so strange. Eliste had thought she would have to make a trek back to Emerald Falls, face the Lord Holder or whomever she would have to go before and Helvar, somehow convince him that she be allowed to be free of her marriage. In a way, Helvar had taken care of all of that. Or rather, Xerxen had.

"We'll still arrive at Emerald Falls but instead of having to approach and petition the Lord Holder, we will have to inform him of what has happened. But as to you and I?" he reached out and took her had, "There is nothing to stop us from marrying, if you'll still have me?"

She couldn't help it. She couldn't stop it. Eliste burst into tears, the salty liquid springing to life in her eyes and raining down upon her cheeks. Have him? Of course she would have him! She tried to speak, but her throat tightened, preventing the words from coming.

"Hey!" Fog leaned forward and wrapped her in his arms, "Oh Eliste, please, I didn't mean to upset you." Though he had to admit, it made him feel a little better that she was showing some emotion other acceptance of what had happened. He was beginning to worry that she would bottle everything up. "Please my love, don't cry." he dropped tender kisses all over her face, before his lips met hers and he clung to her as if a desperate man.

Follen whimpered and wriggled as best he could despite his young age. Eliste shifted, clinging to Follen just as Fog clung to her. She returned the kisses eagerly, her tears salting his lips. When she pulled away, she leaned over to bury her face in his neck, wetting his skin. "Oh Fog, I'm a horrid person."

"Horrid? What do you mean, horrid?" he pulled back from her, his face screwed up in confusion.

"Because I'm glad! I'm glad he's gone! I'm glad he's dead!" Eliste reached up with her free hand to wipe at her eyes, though fresh tears merely replaced the ones taken away.

"Oh sweetheart, no one would think you horrid, least of all me. After what Helvar did to you over the Turns, and your poor little girl, his end was too quick and easy." Fog tried to comfort her, but he doubted he was doing a good job.

She agreed with him. Had Eliste had her choice she would have drawn out Helvar's misery. At the same time, he was gone from her life and that was something to be thankful for. Follen whimpered and she pulled back from Fog's embrace to cradle him closer to her. "I'm glad I'm free." She looked from her son to her love, her sobs abating and a few tears still clinging to her cheeks. "We're free."

"You _are_ free. Free to do as you wish, I will never try to control you," he promised.

"I know. I know you won't. I know you'll be a wonderful husband, the kind most women dream about." Eliste reached out to take Fog's hand and move it over her heart. "And now we don't have to worry about anything, we can be together."

"When?" the word flew from his mouth before he was even conscious of thought.

"When would you like?" She asked, wishing it could be at that very moment, but as far as Eliste knew, there was no harper on board.

"As soon as we dock?" he asked, wanting to make it as soon as possible for both of their sakes. "I'll talk to Lineal, but I don't think there should be anything that will stand in our way."

"As soon as we dock." Eliste agreed, lips curling up into a small smile. Not soon enough, but it would have to do. "Unless you find a harper here on the boat."

"If it were possible I would have Lineal perform the ceremony, but there are rules about being so far off land, and unfortunately the river isn't wide enough to meet the guidelines." he smiled, his hand gracing her face, as he leaned in to kiss her softly on the lips. "But yes, the sooner the better for all of us. I want no one casting aspersions on you or on Follen." he said, finally pulling away and glancing down at his son.

"I don't care what others think. You're the only one whose thoughts matter." Though Eliste could understand where he was coming from. "How long until we dock?"

"You may not care, but I do - and so will the crew of the riverboat. So another few days, and we can be married, my love."

"Another few days." After all, what was a few more days when they had waited so long thus far? "I will wait." Forever if she had to.

"Just know I love you Eliste and if Xerxen hadn't stepped in, I would have found a way to finish what Helvar had started. He would never have taken you from me."

"I know, Fog." Of that, she had no doubts. Eliste had no doubts about Fog what so ever.

Last updated on the November 27th 2008

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The Morning After (2)